Weapons platform construction

ABSTRACT

A vehicular weapons platform ( 30 ) including a plurality of barrel assemblies ( 10 ), wherein each barrel assembly includes a barrel ( 11 ), a plurality of projectiles ( 14 ) axially disposed within the barrel for operative sealing engagement with the bore of the barrel ( 11 ) and discrete propellant charges ( 15 ) for propelling respective projectiles sequentially through the muzzle of the barrel; and at least one of said plurality of barrel assemblies ( 10 ) includes a barrel which also forms a structural member of the weapons platform. In one preferred form, the weapons platform takes the form of a small combat aerial vehicle (SCAV) ( 30 ), wherein the barrel assemblies ( 10 ) form the airframe. A method of constructing a weapons platform from the barrel assemblies is also described.

The present patent application is a non-provisional application ofInternational Application No. PCT/AU02/01441, filed Oct. 24, 2002, whichclaims priority from Australian Application PR8801/01 filed Nov. 12,2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to vehicular weapons platforms and methods ofconstruction thereof. The invention finds particular, but not exclusiveapplication in relation to the construction of airborne vehicles.

2. Discussion of the Background Art

Weapons systems are typically fitted to existing vehicular platforms asseparate and discrete components, albeit in many cases functionallyintegrated with other mechanical and electronic systems of the vehicle.The mass of weapons systems is often a key consideration in the designof mobile platforms together with allowance for dynamic effects offiring, such as recoil and changes to mass distribution as ammunition isconsumed. Weapon mass, its distribution and dynamic firing effectsimpinge directly on vehicle performance characteristics.

In the case of small compact vehicles, the choice of weapons systemsavailable may be practically limited or even obviated. However, in manycases it would be advantageous to effectively arm a vehicle withoutsignificantly compromising its performance. Many existing vehicles,particularly those in the nature of compact surveillance aircraft orinvestigatory robots, are typically relatively slow moving, operate atlow altitude and are often unarmed, and consequentially susceptible tosmall arms fire.

In a few isolated examples, it has been proposed that missile tubesmight be integrated into the structure of large aircraft, such as a widebodied heavy jet in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,334 (Smethers, Jr.) and in aground effects or amphibious craft in United Kingdom Patent No.2,120,991 (Kjolseth & Mowill). However, it is clearly not viable toprovide a missile launch capability as proposed for small compactvehicles of the kind particularly suited to the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Object of the Invention

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a vehicular weapons platform anda method of construction of a weapons platform that addresses thedrawbacks of designing new vehicles and/or the drawbacks of equippingexisting vehicles with conventional weapons systems, particularlycompact remotely controlled vehicles for use in hostile environments.

Disclosure of the Invention

In one broad form, the present invention resides in a compact weaponsplatform including a plurality of barrel assemblies wherein the barrelassemblies form both weapons and structural members of the weaponsplatform. Suitably, barrels of said barrel assemblies are each formedfrom a relatively lightweight tube, preferably composed of compositematerials such as engineered plastics or carbon fibre composites. Ifrequired, the tubes may be combined in a common walled cellularconstruction. Preferably, the barrel assemblies are arranged for firingprojectiles simultaneously from opposed ends of the barrel in order tominimise undesirable recoil effect.

In one preferred application, the weapons platform comprises a vehiclewherein the barrel assemblies form a structural frame of the vehicle, orat least a part of the structural frame. In the case of an airbornevehicle, such as a fixed or rotary wing aircraft, the barrel assembliesmay form the airframe and/or wing spars of the fuselage and/or wings ofthe aircraft.

In another form the invention resides in a method of construction of aweapons platform, said method including the step of forming one or morestructural members of the weapons platform from a plurality of barrelassemblies of a weapon. Suitably, the barrel assemblies are arrangedwith barrels directed in opposite directions in order to minimiseundesirable recoil effect upon firing.

The present invention has particular application to barrel assemblies ofthe type described by the present inventor in International PatentApplication Nos. PCT/AU94/00124 and PCT/AU96/00459. Such barrelassemblies include a barrel; a plurality of projectiles axially disposedwithin the barrel for operative sealing engagement with the bore of thebarrel, and discrete propellant charges for propelling respectiveprojectiles sequentially through the muzzle of the barrel.

The overall shape of the projectile, including the projectile core andthe expandable sleeve may be conventionally shaped dart-like, generallyspherical or any other convenient shape. The projectile may also includefins that may advantageously be offset to generate a stabilising spin asthe dart is propelled from a barrel that may be a smooth-bored barrel.

The projectile charge is located in the propellant space and may beformed as a solid block to assist in loading the barrel assemblies.Alternatively the propellant charge may be encased and may include anembedded primer having external contact means adapted for contacting apre-positioned electrical contact associated with the barrel. Forexample the primer could be provided with a sprung contact which may beretracted to enable insertion of the cased charge into the barrel and tospring out into a barrel aperture upon alignment with that aperture foroperative contact with its mating barrel contact. If desired the outercase may be consumable or may chemically assist the propellant burn.Furthermore an assembly of stacked and bonded or separate cased chargesand projectiles may be provided to facilitate the reloading of a barrel.

The barrel may be non metallic and the bore of the barrel may includerecesses that may fully or partly accommodate the ignition means. Inthis configuration the barrel may house electrical conductors whichfacilitate electrical communication between the control means andignition means. This configuration may be utilised for disposable barrelassemblies that have a limited firing life and the ignition means andcontrol wire or wires therefor can be integrally manufactured with thebarrel.

A barrel assembly may alternatively include ignition apertures in thebarrel and the ignition means are disposed outside the barrel andadjacent the apertures. The barrel may be surrounded by a non metallicouter barrel which may include recesses adapted to accommodate theignition means. The outer barrel may also house electrical conductorswhich facilitate electrical communication between the control means andignition means. The outer barrel may be formed as a laminated plasticsbarrel which may include a printed circuit laminate for the ignitionmeans.

The electrical ignition for sequentially igniting the propellant chargesof a barrel assembly may preferably include the steps of igniting theleading propellant charge by sending an ignition signal through thestacked projectiles, and causing ignition of the leading propellantcharge to arm the next propellant charge for actuation by the nextignition signal. Suitably all propellant charges inwardly from the endof a loaded barrel are disarmed by the insertion of respectiveinsulating ruses disposed between normally closed electrical contacts.

Ignition of the propellant may be achieved electrically or ignition mayutilise conventional firing pin type methods such as by using acentre-fire primer igniting the outermost projectile and controlledconsequent ignition causing sequential ignition of the propellant chargeof subsequent rounds. This may be achieved by controlled rearwardleakage of combustion gases or controlled burning of fuse columnsextending through the projectiles or the barrel.

In another form the ignition is electronically controlled withrespective propellant charges being associated with primers which aretriggered by distinctive ignition signals. For example the primers inthe stacked propellant charges may be sequenced for increasing pulsewidth ignition requirements whereby electronic controls may selectivelysend ignition pulses of increasing pulse widths to ignite the propellantcharges sequentially in a selected time order. Preferably however thepropellant charges are ignited by a set pulse width signal and burningof the leading propellant charge arms the next propellant charge foractuation by the next emitted pulse.

Suitably in such embodiments all propellant charges inwardly from theend of a loaded barrel are disarmed by the insertion of respectiveinsulating fuses disposed between insertion of respective insulatingfuses disposed between normally closed electrical contacts, the fusesbeing set to burn to enable the contacts to close upon transmission of asuitable triggering signal and each insulating fuse being open to arespective leading propellant charge for ignition thereby.

A number of projectiles can be fired simultaneously, or in quicksuccession, or in response to remote controlled electrical initiation,for example. In such arrangements the electrical signal may be carriedexternally of the barrel or it may be carried through the superimposedprojectiles which may clip on to one another to continue the electricalcircuit through the barrel, or abut in electrical contact with oneanother. The projectiles may carry the control circuit or they may forma circuit with the barrel.

BRIEF DETAILS OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put intopractical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevational view of a barrel assembly of anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plurality of barrel assembliesarranged to form a structural frame for a vehicular weapons platform;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting an aircraft employing thestructural frame of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the arrangement of barrelassemblies in the aircraft of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the aircraft of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a further side view of the aircraft of FIG. 4 depicting theoperation use of longitudinal barrel assemblies;

FIG. 7 is another side view of the aircraft of FIG. 4 shown to scaleagainst a larger known aircraft; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of the aircraft of FIG. 4 depicting the operationaluse of lateral barrel assemblies against a target.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a barrel assembly 10 including a barrel 11 having opposedmuzzle ends 12, 13, wherein the barrel is loaded with a plurality ofprojectiles 14 and associated propellant charges 15. The barrel of theembodiment is formed from a lightweight carbon fibre based compositematerial. The barrel 11 has been loaded such that projectiles 14 areaxially stacked in the barrel commencing from a common breech wall 16,whereby projectiles may be fired from either or both muzzle ends, asdesired. The propellant 15 is arranged to be selectively ignited byelectrical means (not shown) so that the projectiles may be sequentiallyfired at a selected rate of fire from the barrel 11. Desirably thearrangements for firing the projectiles are substantially in accordancewith the teachings of earlier patent applications by the presentinventor.

A structural frame 20 of a weapons platform is illustrated in FIG. 2,here formed from a plurality of the barrel assemblies 10 described inrelation to FIG. 1. The frame 20 includes a group of two laterallyextending barrel assemblies 21 and a group of four longitudinallyextending barrel assemblies 22. The individual barrels 11 of the groupsof barrel assemblies 21, 22 may be permanently or releasably fixedtogether as required by application. In alternative arrangements, itwill be appreciated that a structural frame for a weapons-platform mayinclude barrel assemblies of the kind which have only a single muzzleend. Furthermore, the barrel assemblies may be of different sizes toaccommodate different types of ammunition and/or structuralrequirements.

The structural frame 20 of FIG. 2 is particularly arranged for anaircraft 30 as depicted in FIG. 3. In particular the aircraft 30 is asmall combat aerial vehicle (SCAV) of the type that is unmanned andremotely controlled. In the structural arrangement for aircraft 30, thelaterally extending barrel group 21 comprise wing spars for the wings 31of the aircraft and the longitudinally extending barrel group 22comprise a frame supporting the fuselage 32. The aircraft 30 alsoincludes a tail 33 and a pair of horizontal stabilisers 34, eachsupported by the fuselage frame. This construction arrangementeffectively incorporates a multi-barrelled gun system into the vehiclewhile adding only marginally to vehicle weight.

Further details of the aircraft 30, proposed in one form to have alength of approximately 9 ft (2.75 m) and a wingspan of approximately 10ft (3.0 m), are depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5. The barrel assemblies 10forming the wing spars and fuselage frame carry a total of 780×0.32 (8mm) rounds, all capable of being separately fired. The total weight ofthe rounds is estimated to be approximately 12.5 lbs (5.675 kg), withthe propellant accounting for 1.1 lbs (0.5 kg) and the barrels addingonly 2 lbs (0.9 kg). Some rounds are fired forward 41 and some to therear (aft) 42 as evident from the side view in FIG. 4, whilst otherrounds may be fired laterally from barrels having muzzle ends adjacentthe starboard and port wingtips 43, 44 of the aircraft, as seen fromFIG. 5.

In one mode of operation, the aircraft 30 is capable of firing 270rounds into a target at a rate of 180,000 rounds per minute (rpm) withzero recoil effect. Recoil is effectively cancelled by firingprojectiles 65, 64 from both the forward 41 and aft 42 muzzle ends ofthe barrel assemblies 10 simultaneously, as depicted in FIG. 6. Thismode can deliver 4.3 lbs (1.9 kg) of projectiles onto a target in aslittle as 0.01 seconds. A surveillance camera 61, mounted on the tail 33of the aircraft 30 in the present embodiment, may also be used fordirecting fire onto the target. If required, the rounds 64 fired fromthe aft muzzle ends 42 may be non-lethal, providing alternative payloadsfor example decoys or temporary irritants.

In a further mode of operation, the longitudinal barrel assemblies maybe fired from their aft muzzle ends 62, 63 only whereby the recoileffect provides a positive boost to air speed.

The proposed SCAV 30 is shown, in FIG. 7, to scale against a knowncommercial passenger transport, namely a Boeing 737 airliner 70.

A still further mode of operation is illustrated in FIG. 8 wherein theaircraft 30 loiters over a target 80 in an orbital flight pattern 81.Periodically, and desirably randomly, rounds are fired at the target 80from the lateral barrel groups having wing tip muzzles 67. This mode candisrupt the morale of enemy forces by causing uncertainty and/ornuisance. Alternatively, a high rate of fire wherein 120 rounds areavailable at 60,000 rpm, may be used if the circumstances arise. Thishigher rate can deliver 1.9 lb (0.836 kg) of projectiles onto a targetin 0.1 seconds.

The advantages of the above described embodiment of the presentinvention include addressing the problem of vulnerability of slowmoving, low flying aircraft by arming the aircraft with a lightweightweapons system which increases survivability in operation use and alsoproviding a nuisance or morale lowering capability through random,multi-direction fire.

In operation, the SCAV could be launched from a parent aircraft forinsertion at any desired altitude, including in one form very highaltitude. In high altitude deployment for interception of enemy missile,for example from an airship at 70,000 ft (21,350 m), the aircraft 30could be powered by a slow burning solid fuel rocket 66 (see FIG. 6).The aircraft would be initially guided by a target acquisition andtracking system on board the airship, for a rapid descent to loweraltitudes to then acquire the particular target, such as a cruisemissile, with an internal terminal seeker.

It will be appreciated that the aircraft of the embodiment is capable ofdelivering a disproportionately high kinetic impact relative to itssize, together with the ability to fire simultaneously in opposingdirections at variable rates of fire (slow or extreme) whilst balancingrecoil that might otherwise damage the aircraft and would also disturbthe aircraft flight path, attitude or air speed.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by wayof illustrative example of the invention and that all such modificationsand variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in theart are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the inventionas is herein set forth and defined in the claims which follow.

1. An airborne weapons platform comprising: a plurality of barrelassemblies, each barrel assembly including a barrel, a plurality ofprojectiles axially disposed within the barrel for operative sealingengagement with a bore of the barrel and propellant charges forpropelling respective projectiles sequentially through a muzzle of thebarrel, wherein at least one of said plurality of barrel assembliesincludes a barrel which also forms a structural member of an airframe ofthe weapons platform.
 2. The weapons platform of claim 1 wherein eachbarrel is composed of a composite material.
 3. The weapons platform ofclaim 1 wherein the barrel assemblies form wing spars of the airframe.4. The weapons platform of claim 1 wherein the barrel assemblies form afuselage of the airframe.